Work protector



E. W. PARKER WORK PROTECTOR April i8, 1950 Filed March 23, 1949 I N VEN TOR. i/fgb@ 2% M am@ BY O 4km-776). f mlm Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STATES RATENT OFFICE WORK PROTECTOR Elizabeth W. Parker, Washington, D. C.

Application March 23, 1949, Serial No. 83,006

5 Claims.

1 My invention relates to work protectors, and it comprises a protector for knitting, crocheted work, embroidery or the like, said protector' consisting of two half sheets of material joined at the bottom and stitched together part way up the sides to form a shallow pocket for the work, the sheets being provided with transverse folds forming pleats of equal width so that the sheets can be folded together and collapsed in the manner of an accordion, said sheets also being provided with rows of holes or eyelets along both sides of each of said transverse folds and across the upper edges of said half sheets which holes become superimposed when the half sheets are folded so that the sheets can be secured to each other and to the work at a plurality of positions as the pleats are unfolded, thereby protecting the work as it progresses, and means, such as laces, adapted to cooperate with said holes for attaching said sheets to each other and to the work; all as more fully set forth and as claimed.

In the art of knitting and crochetng the conipleted work invariably becomes soiled by contact with the clothes of the worker etc. unless it is protected in some manner. The longer the work requires the greater the degree of soiling. The completed work can be washed, of course, but this invariably removes some of the luster from the yarn and it may shrink the work making the article commercially worthless. The usual eX- pedient employed by hand workers is to cover the work with a towel or other fabric which may `be pinned to the work as it progresses but this 4 equal pleats so they can be collapsed in the manner as an accordion and making rows of holes or eyelets along both edges of the folds and across the tops of the half sheets, the holes being positioned in such manner that they become superimposed when the sheets are folded. This forms an extensible protector which can be tacked or otherwise secured to the work as it progresses. The stitching at the bottom forms a shallow pocket into which the work can be placed soon `after it is started and as the work progresses the pleats can be unfolded one at a time to cover the 2 work as it is completed. The work is thus completely protected from soiling and the clothes of the worker are also protected from lint and to some extent from wear.

I have found that it is advantageous to make my holder of a material which has a smooth surface in order to reduce wear. It is also desirable but not essential to have the holder of translucent or transparent material. The material from which it is constructed should also be capable of holding preformed folds but it should not wrinkle easily, that is, it should be flexible rather than stiff. I have found that Pliolm and Vinylite are close to ideal fabrics while cellophane is somewhat too stiff and inclined to wrinkle. Of course it is also possible to make the holder of a cotton material, such as chntz, rayon or silk 0r even of woolen goods desired.

The edges of my holder can be finished or unfinished. It is usually desirable to hem or bind the edges, however, or they can be folded over and adhered with a cement if desired. The holes which are provided for the lacings or other securing means can also be bound or provided with metal or plastic eyelets.

I prefer to employ a lacing to secure my protector to the work. This may be a short length of yarn and in this case I usually provide a crewel needle with the protector to assist in interlacing the yarn through the work and through the eyelets. It is also possible, of course, to have a lacing of the nature of a shoe lace provided with metal or plastic ends to assist in the interlacing. Another type of fastening means found satisfactory is the so-called snap fasteners which can be snapped through the holes and through the work without being sewed to the protector. If desired the snap fastener halves can be sewed on a tape and correctly spaced to enter the holes in the protector. Y

My invention can be explained more specically by reference to the accompanying drawing which shows more or less diagramatically a specific embodiment of my work protector. In this showing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my protector when empty and in fully open position,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the protector laced to a piece of knitting and in its three-A quarter open position,

Fig. 3 is an end view of the protector in its lowest or closed position,

Fig. 4 is a similar showing of the protector in half open position, l

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper end of the protector showing a modified means for fastening the protector to the work, while Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section through the top of my protector taken along the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

In the various figures like parts are designated by like reference numerals. It will be evident from Fig. 1 that my work protector consists of a single sheet of material shownV generally at l, folded in half at 2 with additional transverse folds 3, il and 5 serving to divide each half sheet into four equal pleats which overlap when. folded.

in the manner of an accordion, as sho-wn best in 3. Rows of holes are provided aOIls each side of each of the three upper folds and across the upper edges of the two half sheets, these holes being arranged in such manner that they become superimposed when the half. sheets are folded along the folds 3, 4 and 5. It is therefore possible to lace the half sheets together with the laces l passing through the knitting or crocheted work il and through the superimposed holes in each of the e possible itions of the work holder, as seen from Figs. 2, 3, and 4;.

The two lower pleats B and 9 are advantageously stitched together along their transverse edges, as shown at lil, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, to form a pocket therebetween intowhich the work can be placed shortly after it. has startedand before it hasv becomeV dirty. The half sheets are then folded in the manner shown in 3 and laced.l to the work as indicated. When the work has progressed-further the half sheets can be folded as shown inFig. fl and laced as indicated, then as shown in Fig. 2 and finally the half sheets can be entirely unfolded as shown in Fig. l and laced to the work along their upper edges.

An alternative means-of securing .my protector to the work :2s-shown. in Figs. 5 and 6. A tape ill is used which has a lengthV sufficient to "ce looped once around.l the topv of the; protector. This tape at suitably spaced intervals is provided with conventional snap-on fasteners shown genorally at i5 .which are` adapted to be snapped together through the work as shown. One of le halves iii of. the' fasteners is secured con.- ventional manner'toythe front part of the tape while the cooperatingV halves il are secured to the ar iii of the tape. The Shanks of the snap-.ui fastenersl pass through the'Y holes iiof the protector when the tape is snapped to the work. to the work than to lace the protector to the work.

'While the dimensions of my work protector can be varied to a considerableextent I have found it convenientto make it from a rectangular shaped piece of cloth having thedimensions of al1-out l2" by Zelf', so-thetwohalves measure l2 x l2" and the pleatsareSf wide;

'iii/hilo l.V have described. what` I consider to he the most advantageous. form of my work protector it is evident, of course, that various modifications can be made-.inVv the speciiic structures whichU have been described without departing fromy the purview ofthis invention. The protector can loe-'made of various widths but, as indicated previously, a 12 inch width is suitable for the articles which are most rfrequently knitted and crocheted. The protector can loe-used for the protection of' all types .of handwork for which it may be suitable, including knitting, crocheting,

lt is somewhat quicker to snapl this tape ting, crocheting and the like which comprises a sheet of flexible fabric folded into two congruent half,V sheets, stitching part way up the transverse edges of the half sheets adjacent said fold thus forminga lower pocket adapted to hold the Work in its early stages, the two half sheets being folded into a plurality of pleats of equal width so they can be collapsed in the manner of an accordion with rows of holes along both edges or the upper folds and along the upper edges of the half sheets, said holes beingspaced so that they become superimposed when the pleats are folded, and means cooperating with said Vholes for securing the protector to the work at a plurality of different positions as the work progresses and as the accordion pleats are successively unfolded.

2. The work protector of claim l wherein the securing means comprises: a lacing adapted toy be laced through said holes and through the work.

3. The work protector of claim 1i whereinthe securing means comprises a tape and a plurality of snap fasteners the cooperating halvesof which are mounted on said tape.

4. A work protector for handwork such as knitting, crocheting and the like which comprises two congruent half sheets of a ilexible fabric joined at the bottom and securedj together'part way up the transverse` edges to form a4 bottom pocket adapted to hold the work in its early stages, transverse folds in said half'v sheets forming a plurality of pleats of equal width so that the pleats can be folded together in the manner of an accordion with rows of superimposed/holes along both edges of the folds and along the upper edges of the half sheets, and means cooperating with said holes to secure the protector to the'work at a plurality of positions as-the Work, progresses and the pleats are successively unfolded.

5. A work protector for knitting, crochetlng and the like comprising a sheetof'flexlble` material folded into two congruent half'sheets; stitching along the lower edges ofthe half sheetsadjacent the fold and serving to form a pocket adapt:-

ed to hold the work in its early stages, three y REFERENCES CITED The following references areV of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS.

Name Date; N Kirkpatrick. Nov. 12. 193.5

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